Carriages Without Horses

J. Frank Duryea and the Birth of the American Automobile Industry

by Richard P. Scharchburg

This small hardcover history book focuses on which of the Duryea brothers, Charles or Frank, contributed the most to the design and construction of the first US car put into series production. Charles always claimed credit for the design of the car, thanking his younger brother Frank for being “his indispensable helper.”

The Romance of Engines

by Takashi Suzuki

Many readers of book reviews are chiefly interested in the review in order to determine whether or not they should buy the book. In this case, this reviewer can tell you that if you are at all interested in engines and their developmental history, you’ll want to know about this book!

Corvair Affair

by Mike Knepper

If you wanted but one book in your collection on the Chevrolet Corvair, Mike Knepper’s book would be a wise and logical choice. It is obvious that Knepper is a seasoned, professional automotive journalist, and it is equally obvious that his flair for language goes beyond many informative but dull books all too often found.

My Life and My Cars

by W.O. Bentley

The autobiography ends with a gathering of the Bentley Drivers Club at Bentley’s home in Shamely Green, in 1959; he then was in retirement and had kept close ties with the BDC. The last paragraph of the book is nearly wistful—that of a man looking back over an exciting and distinguished career. There seems to be a smile on his face.

The Last Hero: The Gallant Story of Donald Campbell and The Land Speed Record, 1964

by John Pearson

In 1964, Campbell set a record of 403.10 mph for a four-wheeled vehicle. John Pearson spent time with him during the preparations for the assault on the LSR—and through many of the long days and months of frustration, delays, inaction, and impatience waiting for the salt.

Avanti (Bonsall)

by Thomas E. Bonsall

Originally published in 1979 and long hailed as the ultimate book on the Avanti, this updated and revised edition is a must for every Avanti enthusiast. The legacy of the Avanti in the pony car era is all but ignored while lesser marques from the Big Three are eulogized for their contribution to the art.

Damn Few Died in Bed: Memories of a Life in American Automobile Racing

by Andy Dunlop

Before the days of even rudimentary safety features, brave and talented men raced brutally fast open-wheeled automobiles on the exciting dirt tracks of Middle America. Dunlop gives us a new appreciation of the lives of the people that crisscrossed the heartland on two-lane highways to compete in America’s bull rings on weekends.

Bentley: 3½ and 4¼ Litre 1933–40 In Detail

by Nick Walker

At the time period this book covers, Bentleys were built by Rolls-Royce which had taken over Bentley in 1931 in an attempt to thwart the competition and prevent Bentley from going to Napier which would have constituted an even more formidable challenge to Rolls-Royce.

German Aircraft Industry and Production 1933–1945

by Vajda & Dancey

This book is a compilation of statistical data gathered from German archives and previously published material. While the book is certainly not for everyone, it does contain a huge quantity of information. The authors’ conclusions in Chapter 12 on why Germany was destined to lose the air war are alone worth the price of the book.

Car Guys vs. Bean Counters: The Battle for the Soul of American Business

by Bob Lutz

Lutz is the last of the Motor City’s “bad boys.” Not bad like a De Lorean though the two of them shared a passion for cars but rather in the sense of being cut from the same cloth as a Lee Iacocca—a guy with gasoline in his veins who evaluates cars based on whether or not they’ll sell rather than how much they’ll cost to build.

Rolls-Royce Hillington: Portrait of a Shadow Factory

by Peter Sherrard

Preparing for WWII, the Shadow Factory scheme was the British Government’s attempt to guard against the possible loss of key industrial sites, in this case the Rolls-Royce factory at Derby. The Hillington plant on the outskirts of Glasgow was Rolls-Royce’s first site in Scotland and, in addition to the factory at Crewe, the second Shadow Factory.

Rallying to Monte Carlo

by W.M. (Mike) Couper

Often humorous and exciting, the anecdotes of rally preparation and racing as an independent in 1939 and as a factory-supported driver in Rolls-Royces and Bentleys 1949–1955 still end up rather monotonous—there are only so many icy S-curves, near misses, mechanical problems, hastily eaten meals and cabin repartee that one can bear patiently.

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